The Imperial System: Architect of an Empire

Kael discovered the following morning that traveling with the Imperial Church required fewer soldiers than traveling with the Imperial family and considerably more paperwork.

He was not certain which offended him more.

Malrec had requested a route meeting immediately after breakfast. Edwin arrived with maps, Brother Caelen arrived with travel documents, Darius arrived with the expression of a man already prepared to reject half of whatever Kael proposed, and Elias and Marcus arrived still looking slightly uncomfortable whenever anyone mentioned Solmara.

Kael entered last.

Malrec looked at him.

”You are late.”

Kael glanced toward the clock.

”By one minute.”

”Yes.”

”I was speaking with Galahad.”

”That does not change the clock.”

Kael sat.

”Good morning to you too.”

Malrec pushed a map toward him.

The journey had been divided into five days.

Blackwood lay west of the Imperial Province of Aurelia. The most direct route toward Solmara required them to travel northeast from Blackwood, join one of the western Imperial roads, pass through the northern districts of the Emperor’s province, and eventually reach the Arven River.

Beyond the river began Solmara.

Kael traced the route with one finger.

”Five days to Orinth?”

”No.”

Brother Caelen answered this time.

”Five days to the consecration site.”

Kael looked up.

”I thought the central records were in Orinth.”

”They are.”

”Then aren’t we going to Orinth?”

”Yes.”

Malrec looked toward Brother Caelen.

The clerk looked back.

Kael frowned.

”Someone explain that in a way designed for people who aren’t employed by the Church.”

Brother Caelen pointed toward the map.

”Orinth is large.”

Kael waited.

”The Church quarter containing the knightly archives is not the first part of the city we reach.”

”That was the entire complication?”

”Yes.”

Kael stared.

Malrec said, ”You make simple things difficult by demanding explanations before people finish speaking.”

”I asked one question.”

Darius looked toward the window.

Kael saw the movement.

”You agree with him.”

”I said nothing.”

”That has never stopped you from being judgmental.”

Malrec ignored them and returned to the route.

”We leave shortly after sunrise tomorrow. My carriage remains with us. Elias and Marcus may ride.”

Both nodded.

”Kael?”

Kael raised an eyebrow.

Malrec looked at him.

”Will you be riding?”

”Yes.”

”Good.”

Kael frowned.

”Why good?”

”Because your carriage would slow us.”

”I wasn’t bringing one.”

”Then we agree.”

Kael sat back.

He had begun to understand why Brother Caelen had refused to describe Malrec as pleasant.

Darius leaned over the map.

”Escort?”

Malrec looked toward Kael.

There it was.

Kael had been thinking about that since the previous night.

His first instinct had been twenty Black Dragon soldiers.

That had become twelve after he remembered Malrec saying small.

Then eight.

Then Darius had walked into breakfast that morning, looked at Kael for approximately three seconds, and said, ”Four.”

Kael had not asked how he knew.

Now he answered, ”Four Black Dragon riders.”

Malrec studied him.

”Acceptable.”

Kael almost felt proud.

Darius asked, ”Names?”

That part was more difficult.

Kael had initially wanted Iris.

Then he had stopped.

Not because Iris would be poor protection.

Because he had begun asking himself why he wanted each person.

Iris was one of Blackwood’s best scouts and trackers.

That did not automatically make her necessary for a journey along major Imperial and Church roads accompanied by Malrec’s own guards.

Taking her because she was useful in almost every uncertain situation would leave Blackwood without one of the people most qualified to respond if something went wrong here.

Kael looked toward Darius.

”Not Iris.”

Darius nodded once.

Approval.

Kael continued. ”Merric Hale. Jessa Cor.”

Both dependable.

Both experienced enough for travel without being essential to current operations.

”Two more?”

Kael hesitated.

He had considered Milo.

Mostly because he wanted to know him better.

That was a terrible reason to remove a mage from Blackwood for nearly two weeks.

He had considered Sera for ranged support.

That was a better reason.

Still unnecessary.

”Perrin Vale and Tavin Holt.”

Darius nodded.

Four conventional Black Dragon soldiers.

No special composition.

No attempt to create the perfect traveling party for a journey that did not require one.

Kael felt strangely accomplished.

Malrec looked toward Darius.

”You?”

”I travel with Kael.”

”Required?”

”No.”

Malrec’s gaze shifted to Kael.

Kael understood.

”Darius is coming because this is my first formal visit to territory administered by the Church, and because I may need counsel regarding Imperial military and political protocol.”

Malrec nodded.

”Reasonable.”

Kael smiled faintly.

Darius looked toward him.

”What?”

”You expected me to say protection.”

”Yes.”

”I can learn.”

”Occasionally.”

Kael sighed.

Malrec continued.

”No larger House delegation.”

”What about Edwin?”

”No.”

Kael looked toward Edwin.

The steward had already known.

Of course.

Edwin folded his hands behind his back.

”Blackwood requires administration.”

Kael frowned.

”I wasn’t going to insist.”

”You considered it.”

”For approximately ten seconds.”

”That remains consideration.”

Kael looked toward Malrec.

”Do all older men become impossible?”

”Usually before fifty.”

Darius ignored that.

The final traveling party from House Kael would therefore be seven.

Kael.

Darius.

Elias.

Marcus.

Merric.

Jessa.

Perrin.

Tavin made eight.

Kael counted again.

Malrec noticed.

”You forgot yourself?”

”No.”

”You did.”

Kael pointed at the map.

”Continue.”

Malrec did.

The Church delegation added Malrec, Brother Caelen, Sister Meriel, a physician, six Church guards, two additional clerks, drivers, and attendants responsible for the ceremony materials.

Not small by ordinary standards.

Small compared with an Imperial procession.

Kael studied the combined numbers.

”Does Solmara require notice when an Imperial prince enters?”

”Yes.”

”Already sent?”

”Yes.”

”Who receives it?”

”The southern Solmaran administrative office first. Orinth has also been informed.”

Kael looked toward Brother Caelen.

”What exactly did you tell them?”

”That Prince Kael Aurelius Asterion of Blackwood will accompany two candidates presented by House Kael for knightly consecration.”

”That sounds harmless.”

”It was intended to.”

Kael looked toward Malrec.

”No reception?”

”I requested none.”

”Can they ignore that?”

”Yes.”

Kael frowned.

Malrec continued. ”A prince entering Solmara attracts attention whether he requests it or not.”

That was unavoidable.

Kael looked down at the map.

”What authority do I have once we cross the Arven?”

Malrec became more interested.

Darius did too.

Kael noticed.

”What?”

”Good question,” Malrec said.

Kael sighed.

”I am starting to dislike that phrase.”

”You should ask more questions that deserve it.”

Malrec leaned forward.

”You remain an Imperial prince everywhere inside the Empire.”

”Yes.”

”You do not cease being lord of Blackwood.”

”Obviously.”

”But Blackwood law ends at Blackwood.”

Kael nodded.

”In Solmara, you are subject to Imperial law, applicable Church territorial law, local charters, and whatever rights or privileges attach to your Imperial rank.”

Kael frowned.

”Church territorial law can apply to me?”

”Of course.”

”Could a Solmaran magistrate arrest me?”

The room went quiet.

Edwin looked toward him.

Kael shrugged.

”It is a useful limit question.”

Malrec considered it seriously.

”For an ordinary offense?”

”Yes.”

”In practical terms, no local official would casually arrest an Imperial prince.”

”That is not what I asked.”

Malrec smiled faintly.

Kael recognized his own trap.

”Legally, circumstances matter. Your Imperial status creates protections, procedures, and jurisdictional complications. It does not give you permission to assault someone in a market because Blackwood law cannot reach you.”

”I wasn’t planning to.”

”Good.”

Darius asked, ”Serious crime?”

”Imperial authorities would become involved immediately.”

”Church court?”

”Possibly alongside Imperial review, depending upon where and what occurred.”

Kael leaned back.

”So shared jurisdiction.”

”In some matters.”

”And in others?”

”Church authority.”

”Others?”

”Imperial.”

”Others?”

”Local.”

Kael looked toward the ceiling.

”Wonderful.”

Brother Caelen said, ”You wanted complexity.”

”I wanted reality.”

”They are often related.”

That sounded like something Edwin would say.

Kael disliked Solmara already.

Which made him want to see it more.

The route meeting lasted another hour.

The first day would carry them from Blackwood into the western districts of the Imperial Province of Aurelia. They would overnight at an Imperial road town called Varenford, where the Church maintained a travelers’ house beside the main northern road.

The second day would take them farther northeast through the province toward Rellin Cross, a larger market settlement where three Imperial roads met.

The third day they would turn fully north and reach the Arven River by late afternoon.

They would cross into Solmara at Saint Ordan Bridge, one of the older permanent crossings jointly maintained under an agreement between the Imperial Province and the Church.

Kael stopped there.

”Jointly maintained?”

”Yes.”

”Who pays?”

Brother Caelen closed his eyes.

Darius looked toward Kael.

Kael frowned.

”What? Bridges cost money.”

Malrec answered.

”The Imperial Province maintains the southern approach and part of the structural roadworks. Solmara maintains the northern approach, bridge houses, and most routine repairs. Major reconstruction costs are divided according to an old agreement.”

”How old?”

”Two hundred and thirteen years.”

Kael stared.

”You know that from memory?”

Malrec looked at him.

”It is a bridge.”

That explained nothing.

Kael looked toward Brother Caelen.

”He reviews Church road agreements?”

”Among other things.”

Kael almost laughed.

Apparently that phrase had escaped Blackwood entirely.

The fourth day would take them through southern Solmara.

The fifth would bring them into Orinth.

”Assuming weather,” Malrec said.

”And roads.”

”Yes.”

”And crowds.”

”Yes.”

”And no wagon rebellion.”

Malrec looked at him.

Kael smiled.

The Archdeacon almost did too.

By the time the meeting ended, Blackwood had already begun preparing for Kael’s absence.

That part felt stranger than the journey.

Kael had traveled before.

Aurelia.

The Knight Examination.

The Imperial Ball.

Assignments.

Political meetings.

But every departure seemed to reveal something new about how much Blackwood no longer depended upon his physical presence.

Edwin had organized administration.

Darius would travel with Kael, which left day-to-day Black Dragon command under the established officer structure.

Iris would remain available for field response.

Galahad would continue Guild preparation.

Master Sol would oversee the implementation process following Hadran’s legal review.

Lily would maintain the manor, housing applications, and several settlement issues Kael had originally intended to review personally.

Damien remained in Blackwood until his frontier departure.

Hugo and Garrick did not need supervision.

Bram would probably become offended if anyone tried.

Kael sat in the study after lunch looking at the list.

Edwin stood across from him.

”This seems insufficient.”

”For what?”

”For leaving.”

Edwin looked around the study.

”Would you prefer we create emergencies?”

”No.”

”You have delegated active responsibilities.”

”Yes.”

”Defined what requires communication.”

”Yes.”

”Established which decisions may wait.”

”Yes.”

”Provided emergency authority.”

”Yes.”

”Then what is missing?”

Kael stared at the list.

Him.

That was the answer.

He did not say it.

Edwin probably knew anyway.

Kael placed the paper down.

”What happens if the Guild is ready to open while I’m gone?”

”It will wait.”

Kael frowned.

”Why?”

”Because you and Galahad have not yet approved the final operating procedures.”

”Could he?”

”If you give him authority.”

Kael stopped.

There it was.

Not whether the Guild could open without Kael.

Whether Kael was willing to let someone else decide.

He looked toward Edwin.

”What does Galahad think?”

”You could ask him.”

Kael sighed.

”Everyone is becoming difficult.”

”That appears to be your preferred governing environment.”

Unfortunately, that might be true.

Kael found Galahad at the Guild headquarters.

The building looked finished from the road now.

That was becoming dangerous.

People saw walls, windows, doors, counters, and a completed training yard and assumed an institution existed.

Inside, Galahad was arguing with a carpenter over shelving height.

Kael waited.

The argument lasted six minutes.

Galahad won.

The carpenter believed he had won.

Kael considered that impressive.

When they were alone, Kael asked, ”If the Guild is ready while I’m in Solmara, do you want authority to open it?”

Galahad looked at him.

”No.”

Kael had prepared several responses.

None applied.

”No?”

”No.”

”Why?”

”Because it will not be ready.”

”You don’t know that.”

”I do.”

Kael frowned.

Galahad pointed around the building.

”The physical work may be finished. Registration procedures will not.”

”We’ve made progress.”

”Yes.”

”Contract rules?”

”Still incomplete.”

”Missing-party response?”

”Better.”

”Complaint process?”

”Not finished.”

”Capability assessments?”

”Definitely not finished.”

Kael nodded.

”So no.”

”No.”

Galahad leaned against a counter.

”You were hoping I would say yes.”

”I was testing whether I was creating dependency.”

”By trying to make me open an institution early?”

Kael stared.

”When you say it like that, it sounds worse.”

”Because it is worse.”

Kael sighed.

Galahad smiled faintly.

”You can leave for five days.”

”Closer to ten with return.”

”You can leave for ten days.”

”The territory will change while I’m gone.”

”Yes.”

”That bothers me.”

”I know.”

Kael looked toward him.

Galahad continued.

”You are trying very hard to become unnecessary.”

Kael frowned.

”That sounds terrible.”

”It should.”

”I am not trying to become unnecessary.”

”Then stop measuring good administration by whether Blackwood functions exactly the same without you.”

Kael became still.

Galahad walked toward the registration counters.

”If you’re gone and nothing changes, why have a prince?”

Kael followed.

”That sounds like the opposite of what everyone has been teaching me.”

”No.”

Galahad turned.

”They are teaching you not to make yourself the only person capable of acting.”

He pointed toward Kael.

”That does not mean your judgment contributes nothing.”

Kael listened.

”Blackwood should function without you.”

”Yes.”

”It should also be better because you’re here.”

Victor.

The conversation near the training yard came back immediately.

Maybe you’re supposed to be important because things become better when you’re there.

Kael smiled faintly.

”What?”

”Nothing.”

Galahad looked suspicious.

”Was that one of your lessons?”

”Unfortunately.”

”From Darius?”

”Worse.”

”Yourself?”

”Yes.”

Galahad laughed.

Kael left the Guild with one fewer worry and several new ones.

That seemed normal now.

The afternoon brought another problem.

Milo wanted to come.

Kael discovered this when the mage appeared in the manor courtyard carrying a travel pack smaller than Kael’s boot bag.

Kael stared.

Milo stared back.

”What?”

”You’re packed.”

”Yes.”

”For what?”

”Solmara.”

”No.”

Milo looked offended.

”You didn’t even consider it.”

”I did yesterday.”

That surprised him.

Milo adjusted the bag over one shoulder.

”And?”

”No.”

”Why?”

”Because I do not need a mage.”

Milo looked around as if searching for witnesses to the insult.

”You always need a mage.”

”For what?”

”Magic.”

Kael folded his arms.

”We are traveling on major roads with Church guards, Black Dragon riders, Darius, and an Archdeacon.”

Milo pointed toward Malrec’s carriage in the distance.

”Priests are notoriously vulnerable to weather.”

”Archdeacon.”

”Still weather.”

Kael almost smiled.

”Milo.”

The mage sighed.

”Fine.”

He dropped the pack.

It landed with almost no sound.

Kael looked down.

”What’s in there?”

”Two shirts.”

”That’s it?”

”Three would be excessive.”

Kael shook his head.

Milo looked toward the northern road.

”I’ve never been to Solmara.”

”Neither have I.”

”Exactly.”

”That is not an argument.”

”It was meant to create friendship.”

Kael smiled despite himself.

”Stay.”

Milo sighed again.

”Cruel.”

”You are part of the Black Dragon.”

”Allegedly.”

”You could be useful here.”

”That sounds dangerously like responsibility.”

Kael looked at him.

Milo looked back.

For once, the joking expression weakened.

Kael noticed.

”You joined because Blackwood hired people nobody else cared about.”

Milo said nothing.

”You’re one of the original fifty.”

”Yes.”

”That means this place is yours too.”

Milo looked toward the settlement below the manor.

Kael continued.

”I do not need to bring every capable person with me whenever I travel.”

Milo’s mouth shifted.

”You’re getting annoyingly sensible.”

”I’ve been told.”

Milo picked up the travel pack.

”Can I at least have the road food?”

”No.”

”That seems wasteful.”

”You packed your own food?”

”Most of the bag.”

Kael stared.

”Two shirts?”

”One shirt.”

Milo left before Kael could confiscate anything.

Kael watched him go.

A voice came from behind him.

”Handled well.”

Kael turned.

Malrec stood beneath the manor arch.

”How long were you there?”

”Long enough.”

Kael frowned.

”Church officials should stop appearing silently.”

”Your scout does it better.”

”Iris?”

”Yes.”

”You met her once.”

”That was enough.”

Kael looked toward Milo’s retreating figure.

”He wanted to come because he’s curious.”

”So do you.”

”Yes.”

”Yet curiosity is not always enough reason to leave responsibility.”

Kael nodded.

”That is why he stayed.”

Malrec studied him.

Then looked toward the courtyard.

”Do you know all fifty?”

Kael’s expression changed.

”No.”

”Why not?”

”Because I knew their functions better than I knew them.”

Malrec waited.

Kael sighed.

”My brother already gave me the lecture.”

”Then I will not.”

”Thank you.”

Malrec continued.

”I will ask instead whether knowing fifty people well is realistic while governing a growing territory.”

Kael stopped.

That was different.

”I should know the people serving closest to me.”

”Yes.”

”But fifty deeply?”

Malrec raised an eyebrow.

Kael understood.

Maybe Cassian’s warning had produced its own danger.

Overcorrecting.

Trying to turn every roster entry into a personal relationship because categorizing people felt morally suspect.

Kael could not know everyone equally.

That did not mean he should know nobody beyond their usefulness.

”Balance,” Kael said.

”Usually.”

Kael sighed.

”Another answer that depends.”

”Most good answers do.”

Malrec started walking toward the manor.

Kael joined him.

”Does Solmara teach that?”

”No.”

”What does Solmara teach?”

”That everyone else’s interpretation of tradition is wrong.”

Kael laughed.

The final evening before departure became quieter than Kael expected.

No banquet.

No farewell gathering.

Elias and Marcus spent part of the evening packing ceremonial clothing required for the consecration.

Neither owned enough ceremonial clothing.

Lily solved that problem by informing them that House Kael had already arranged appropriate garments.

Elias objected to the collar.

Marcus objected to the cost.

Lily ignored both.

Kael found them in one of the guest rooms arguing over whether swords were permitted during the final ceremony.

”They are knights,” Elias said.

”Not yet.”

”We passed.”

”We haven’t taken the oath.”

”We’re still allowed swords.”

”That isn’t the question.”

Kael stood in the doorway.

”Should I leave?”

Both turned.

Elias held up a dark formal coat.

”Does this look like me?”

”No.”

”Exactly.”

Marcus looked toward Kael.

”Are swords permitted?”

”Ask Brother Caelen.”

”We did.”

”And?”

”He said yes, under certain conditions.”

Kael smiled.

”Then you already have the answer.”

Marcus frowned.

”He gave us six conditions.”

”Sounds like the Church.”

Elias dropped the coat onto the bed.

”What are you wearing?”

”Travel clothes.”

”For the ceremony.”

Kael stopped.

”I hadn’t thought about it.”

Both men stared.

Elias smiled slowly.

”What?”

”Nothing.”

Marcus was smiling too.

Kael frowned.

”I dislike both of you.”

Lily appeared behind him.

”Your ceremonial clothing is already packed.”

Kael turned.

”When did you—”

”Yesterday.”

”Why did nobody tell me?”

”Because then you would have opinions.”

Kael stared.

Elias laughed.

Kael left before the room became hostile.

His final conversation of the evening was with Darius.

They stood in the small armory adjoining the manor hall while Darius inspected his travel sword.

Not ceremonial.

Functional.

Kael leaned against a cabinet.

”You’ve been to Solmara.”

Darius did not look up.

”Yes.”

”How many times?”

”Several.”

”Why did you not mention that before?”

”You did not ask.”

Kael sighed.

That answer had become increasingly expensive.

”When?”

”Before you were born. Twice after.”

”With Father?”

”Once.”

That interested Kael immediately.

”As Emperor?”

”Yes.”

”What happened?”

”Meetings.”

”About?”

”Church matters.”

Kael waited.

Darius continued inspecting the blade.

”You are not receiving classified Imperial history because you are curious before a road trip.”

Kael frowned.

”Was it classified?”

”Some.”

That ended that.

Kael tried another direction.

”What should I expect?”

”People.”

”Malrec already warned me not to expect everyone praying.”

”Good.”

”Politics?”

”Yes.”

”Hostility?”

”Possibly.”

Kael became more attentive.

”Why?”

”You are an Imperial heir.”

”That alone?”

”Yes.”

Darius sheathed the sword.

”Some people in Solmara will respect you because you are Augustus’s son. Some will distrust you for the same reason. Some will admire Blackwood. Some will believe the Church gives princes too much deference. Others will believe the Church interferes too much in noble and Imperial affairs.”

Kael nodded.

”Normal politics.”

”Yes.”

”Anything specifically dangerous?”

Darius looked at him.

”Your curiosity.”

Kael stared.

”That was insulting.”

”It was preventative.”

Darius placed the sword on the table.

”You are entering territory with institutions you do not understand.”

”I know.”

”You will see inefficiency.”

”Probably.”

”Contradictions.”

”Yes.”

”Old privileges.”

”Yes.”

”Procedures that look irrational.”

”Yes.”

”Do not assume they are irrational because you do not know their history.”

Kael thought of the bridge agreement.

Two hundred and thirteen years.

”Understood.”

Darius continued.

”Also do not assume they remain useful merely because they have history.”

Kael smiled.

”That sounds more like you.”

”It is the same principle.”

”Understand before judging.”

”Yes.”

Kael nodded.

That was manageable.

Then Darius added, ”And you are not going there to reform the Church.”

Kael frowned.

”I know.”

”You said that too quickly.”

”I genuinely know.”

Darius looked at him.

Kael raised both hands.

”Consecration. Elias. Marcus. Learn. Observe. Return.”

”Good.”

”Maybe ask questions.”

”Reasonable questions.”

”That’s subjective.”

”Then ask Malrec first.”

Kael sighed.

The following morning, Blackwood was covered in low mist.

Kael woke before the bells.

For several moments, he remained beside the window looking down at the territory.

The Guild headquarters stood almost complete near the center of the growing settlement.

Smoke rose from the forge.

A few early wagons were already moving along the western road.

The clinic windows showed light.

Workers were awake.

Farmers were awake.

Black Dragon guards changed posts.

Nothing about Blackwood cared that its prince was leaving.

Kael smiled faintly.

Good.

He dressed.

By the time he reached the courtyard, the Church delegation was almost ready.

Horses stamped against the cold morning ground.

Malrec’s carriage waited near the gate.

The ceremonial wagons had been checked.

The four Black Dragon riders stood near Elias and Marcus.

Darius was already mounted.

Of course.

Edwin waited beside the manor steps.

Lily stood with him.

Bram had appeared despite claiming the previous night that departures before sunrise were an insult to agriculture.

Galahad had not.

Kael noticed.

Then decided that was probably intentional.

The Guild leader had work.

Good.

Damien approached Elias first.

”You realize when you come back everyone has to call you Sir.”

Elias smiled.

”If the ceremony happens.”

”It will.”

Marcus looked toward him.

”You sound more certain than the Archdeacon.”

Damien shrugged.

”I don’t have to write a report.”

Milo appeared carrying bread.

Not a travel pack.

Progress.

Sera stood beside him with her longbow over one shoulder.

Kael noticed.

”You two came to say goodbye?”

Milo took a bite.

”I came for breakfast.”

Sera said, ”I came to make sure he didn’t follow the party.”

”Betrayal,” Milo said.

”Prevention.”

Iris approached last.

She handed Kael a small folded road map.

Kael looked down.

”We already have maps.”

”This one has the places travelers actually complain about.”

Kael opened it.

Roadside wells.

Steep sections.

Known wagon bottlenecks.

An inn with unreliable stables.

A bridge approach that became muddy after rain.

Kael looked toward her.

”How do you know this?”

”Traders.”

Of course.

”Thank you.”

Iris nodded.

Then looked toward Elias and Marcus.

”Come back with the title.”

Elias smiled.

”That is the plan.”

Marcus nodded.

Kael mounted.

Edwin approached.

”The territory will remain here.”

Kael looked down at him.

”That sounds suspiciously like advice.”

”It is reassurance.”

”Worse.”

Edwin smiled faintly.

”Safe travels, Your Highness.”

Kael looked across the courtyard.

Blackwood.

His territory.

The place that had once seemed abandoned enough that Augustus giving it to him had felt almost like exile.

Now leaving it for ten days required trust in dozens of people.

Perhaps that was progress.

Malrec’s carriage began moving.

The Church riders followed.

Darius guided his horse beside Kael.

Elias and Marcus rode behind them.

The Black Dragon escort spread naturally around the small House party.

No trumpets sounded.

No crowd lined the gates.

Kael preferred it.

They passed through Blackwood Hollow as the settlement woke.

A baker carried trays toward a storefront.

Two construction workers argued over lumber.

A farmer recognized Elias and shouted something about bringing back a proper knight.

Elias waved.

Marcus laughed.

At the northern edge of the settlement, Kael looked back once.

Only once.

Then Blackwood disappeared gradually behind trees and rising ground.

The road turned northeast.

For the first few hours, the land remained familiar.

Blackwood farms.

Blackwood woods.

Blackwood patrol markers.

Territory Kael could look at and know which office maintained the road, which village used the nearby stream, which fields had suffered drainage problems the previous season.

Then the markers changed.

The Black Dragon symbol disappeared from the roadside posts.

Imperial black-and-gold replaced it.

The road widened.

Drainage ditches became deeper.

Stone distance markers appeared at regular intervals.

Traffic increased.

Merchants.

Farm wagons.

Mounted couriers.

A military supply train moving west.

Darius looked toward Kael.

Kael already understood.

They had crossed from Blackwood into the Imperial Province of Aurelia.

The change was not dramatic.

No wall.

No gate.

No mountain.

Only administration written into roads, patrols, markers, and the density of settlement.

Kael looked ahead.

Far beyond the road before them stood Aurelia somewhere to the southeast, the Imperial Seat at the center of the province.

They would not enter the capital this time.

The northern road would carry them around its western districts, then gradually farther from the Emperor’s immediate center.

And beyond that, across the Arven River, another authority waited.

Solmara.

Kael adjusted the reins.

For once, he had no report to write about the territory ahead.

No assignment from Augustus.

No problem he had been ordered to solve.

He was simply going to see it.

Darius looked toward him.

”Do not smile like that.”

Kael frowned.

”Like what?”

”Like you found a new project.”

Malrec’s voice came from the carriage ahead.

”He does.”

Kael stared at the back of the carriage.

”How did he hear that?”

Darius urged his horse forward.

Kael followed.

Behind them, Elias laughed.

The northern road stretched ahead.